During National School Counseling Week, Dallas ISD recognizes educators who support students’ academic success while nurturing their social and emotional well-being. At Frank Guzick Elementary School, counselor Elizabeth Reed-Smith is creating a student-centered program that helps young learners understand their emotions and build confidence. After nearly 20 years in the classroom, first as a teacher and then as a librarian, Reed-Smith is now in her first year as a school counselor. As a veteran educator, she brings both experience and a modern perspective to the profession. “My success this year is because of a strong and encouraging school community,” she…
Author: Jirah Fleming
Candace Balderas-Miller is one of the few female athletic coordinators in the district, leading the Hillcrest High School Athletic Department with a vision of opportunity, wellness, and athletic success for all students. Overseeing 18 sports programs, she leads by example as a lifelong learner, inspiring the next generation of student-athletes, especially young girls, finding their place in sports. “Sometimes when we think of sports, especially because it is male-dominated, girls may feel like it’s not a place for them,” she said. “I hope that when any student sees me or interacts with me, they become open to new possibilities, because…
At Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Arts Academy, the theater department is growing its creative force. Ramad Carter, the school’s theater teacher, is drawing from his artistry and lifelong passion for education to prepare the next generation of actors to become authentic, expressive, and compassionate performers. Carter studied theater in New York City, where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dramatic Acting at The New School in 2017. While there, he trained in acting, directing, and playwriting while also performing professionally throughout the city. Even while pursuing his artist career, Carter continued to teach. During his time in…
Ocho jóvenes oradores exhibirán sus talentos durante la 34.ª competencia anual de oratoria MLK, patrocinada por Foley & Laudner LLP y Dallas ISD. Y sus auspiciadores estarán ahí con ellos, apoyando su discurso como lo han hecho todo el año. La competencia, establecida en 1993, se celebra cada año cerca del Día de Martin Luther King Jr. para alentar a la comunidad a recordar el legado del líder de los derechos civiles. La competencia empezará a las 11 a.m. el 16 de enero en el Dee and Charles Wyly Theater del AT&T Performing Arts Center. Quienes no puedan asistir en…
Eight talented young orators will showcase their talents in the 34th Annual MLK Oratory competition, co-sponsored by Foley & Laudner LLP and Dallas ISD. And their sponsors will be there with them, supporting their performance as they have all year. The competition was established in 1993 and is hosted each year in conjunction with Martin Luther King Jr. Day to encourage the community to remember the legacy of the civil rights leader. The competition will start at 11 a.m. on Jan. 16 at the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. For those who can’t attend…
Natasha McLaurin’s passion for supporting students has led to an award-winning counseling program at Buckner Terrace Montessori that focuses on social–emotional learning and guides students as they begin discovering new possibilities for their future. As an elementary school counselor, McLaurin takes on the unique task of making college and career readiness meaningful for young students. McLaurin said the goal at elementary school is to help students learn how to dream. “We want them to dream of all the possibilities of who they can be and not take anything off the table,” she said. Through two campuswide initiatives, McLaurin found creative…
En la zona de las preparatorias Lincoln y Madison, el éxito en el examen STAAR se debe no solo a la determinación de los estudiantes y el trabajo de los maestros, sino también a los esfuerzos de la comunidad por crear escuelas vivas y bien apoyadas. “Es importante que ofrezcamos servicios integrales para los estudiantes, que eliminemos las barreras a las que se enfrentan fuera de la escuela”, dijo Rockell Stewart, directora ejecutiva del equipo vertical Lincoln-Madison. “Queremos verlos graduarse a todos al nivel de su grado, mientras abordemos a la vez cualquier necesidad que tengan”. Gracias a su colaboración,…
Across the Lincoln-Madison Vertical Team, STAAR success is fueled not only by student determination and the hard work of teachers, but also by intentional community efforts that create vibrant well supported schools. “It is important that we have wraparound services for our students, to eliminate the barriers students are experiencing outside of school,” said Rockell Stewart, executive director of the Lincoln-Madison Vertical Team. “We want to see 100 percent of our students graduate and on grade level, while simultaneously addressing the whole need of each child.” Through a unified action, students and families receive support year-round, while students remain focused…
Tana Takes Horse is shaping the future of the American Indian Education Program in Dallas ISD. In a role deeply rooted in her experience as a professional, a Native woman, and a mother, she is guiding students on a journey to understand and embrace their Native identity. November, Native American Heritage Month, is a time to honor the histories, traditions, and resilience of the indigenous peoples of North America. But in Dallas, where a distinct Native community has existed for more than 70 years, Takes Horse said many remain unaware of it. “There are quite a few descendants in the…
Tana Takes Horse apoya el futuro del Programa de Educación de Indígenas Americanos (American Indian Education Program) en el Distrito Escolar Independiente de Dallas (Dallas ISD). En un rol profundamente arraigado en su experiencia como profesional, mujer nativa y madre, ella guía a los estudiantes en un viaje para comprender y abrazar su identidad nativa. Noviembre, el Mes de la Herencia Nativa Americana, es un momento para honrar las historias, tradiciones y resiliencia de los pueblos indígenas de Norteamérica. Pero en Dallas, donde una comunidad nativa distintiva ha existido por más de 70 años, Takes Horse dijo que muchos siguen…